Shirt with inside pockets

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to one or more sets of pockets designed for the inside of a shirt, a shirt including such pocket sets, and a method of making such a shirt. Each pocket set includes at least one fabric divider, effectively enabling the wearer to separate and organize small items into two easily accessible sections. Each pocket set is contemplated as an inner “invisible” reflection of a conventional outer (visible) pocket, and further is contemplated as utilizing the same stitching as the conventional pocket for attachment. A same set of pockets can be duplicated on both left and right inner sides of the shirt, thereby creating four sections, two on each side, for containing and organizing any number of personal items.

INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE

Provisional Application No. 60/598,544, filed Aug. 4, 2004 isincorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Over the years, it has been common for shirts to be designed with asingle left-side outer pocket. For awhile, left and right-side pocketswere fashionable, and recently there has been a trend toward no pocketsat all.

Where shirt pockets once were functional, holding pens, pencils, pads,keys, eyeglasses, and any number of smaller items, in many cases pocketsnow are concerned with fashion rather than function. The bulging shirtpockets of the 1950's era are no longer in vogue. The shirt pocket oftoday presents a smooth visual surface, and items once stored there havebeen relegated to coat, jacket, or pants pockets, and backpacks.

With the recent proliferation of small high-tech devices (cell phones,beepers, palm pilots, cameras, CDs etc.) there is now an even greaterneed for useful pocket space. However, in a seated position, it isdifficult to access pants pockets. Likewise, the contents of coat andjacket pockets may be less available once the garment is removed. Thesame can be said of backpacks.

As such, there remains a need for storage pockets that are easily andcomfortably accessible while the garment wearer is in either standingand sitting positions, and that contain the contents thereof innon-obvious and/or non-obtrusive manners. The present invention fulfillsthis need by providing one or more pockets, and preferably two or moresets of pockets, inside of a shirt to contain the numerous small itemsnow carried by the typical person.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Embodiments of the present invention provide a shirt comprising at leastone pocket set attached inside of the shirt. The pocket set includes aninner layer and an outer layer of fabric with the inner layer beinglocated closer to the body when the shirt is worn. Preferably, the innerlayer is shorter than the outer layer.

Another embodiment of the present invention concerns a method ofattaching a pocket set to an inside of a shirt. The method includesattaching a first fabric layer to a second fabric layer to form aninside pocket set. Thereafter, the pocket set is attached to the insideof the shirt.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a shirt incorporating an embodiment of the inventionrepresented on the inside of the shirt by dotted lines;

FIG. 2 is a front isolated view of a two pocket set according to thepresent invention; and

FIG. 3 is a side view of the two pocket set of FIG. 2 along with otherportions of the shirt of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The invention concerns a pocket, preferably a multiple set, and morepreferably a dual set of pockets designed for the inside of the typicalshirt. Preferably, the pocket set includes a fabric divider between eachpocket of the pocket set, effectively enabling the wearer to separateand organize the contents into two or more easily accessible sections.The pocket set is designed as an inner “invisible” reflection of acorresponding outer visible pocket and utilizes the same stitching toattach it. A same pocket set can be duplicated on both left and rightinner sides of the shirt, thereby creating four or more sections (e.g.two on each side) to contain and organize any number of personal items.

The present invention is applicable to all styles of shirt. FIG. 1 showsa shirt 10 in accordance with the present invention with an outer pocket11 a, 11 b on either side of the front of the shirt. Two pocket sets 12,13, also in accordance with the present invention, are shown in brokenlines, also on the front of shirt 10. Each pocket set 12, 13 is locatedon the inside of shirt 10, substantially behind a corresponding frontpocket. FIG. 1 shows each set of pockets 12, 13 as including two pockets12 a, 12 b, and 13 a, 13 b, respectively. The shirt 10 and pockets 11 a,11 b, 12, and 13 can be made of any known material that can be used forconstructing such items. For example, the shirt 10 and pockets 11 a, 11b, 12, and 13 can be made of cotton, polyester, rayon, silk, orcombinations thereof, or any other material known to those of ordinaryskill in the art. Further, while shirt 10, as shown, is a button-downtype having short sleeves, any other shirt such as T-shirts, dressshirts and long-sleeved shirts can be fitted with pocket sets accordingto the invention.

For ease of explanation, the two pocket set 12 shown in greater detailin FIGS. 2 and 3 now will be described. (Set 12 also is shown in FIG.1.) It further is to be understood, however, that the same disclosure isapplicable to a pocket set having more than two pockets. The embodimentof FIGS. 2 and 3 has inside pocket set 12 including the two separatepockets 12 a, 12 b. The inside pocket set 12 has two layers of fabric 15a, 15 b. The inner layer closer to the wearer's body 15 a vertically isshorter, allowing a lower access section 21 a. The outer layer 15 b,closer to the shirt material is relatively longer, thus creating anupper access section 21 b when the pocket is attached to the inside ofthe shirt 10. The shirt fabric 40 itself serves as the back of thisinside pocket 12, while simultaneously providing the foundation overwhich the original outside pocket 11 a of the shirt 10 is stitched.

Preferably, the inside pocket set 12 has the samedoubled-over-and-stitched edge 14 a, 14 b as outside pocket 11 a, givingthe pockets of set 12 a substance and form similar to that of aconventional pocket. Moreover, as seen in FIG. 3, the upper edge 17 ofthe inside pocket set 12 preferably is constructed slightly above theupper edge 18 of outside pocket 11 a. This arrangement provides for evenmore convenient access to the two inner pockets 12 a, 12 b, when thewearer reaches inside the shirt. In addition, the outer fabric layer 15b of the inside pocket set 12 preferably shares the stitching 30 withthe outer pocket 11 a, thereby better concealing the inside pocket set.In tailoring a preferred embodiment, the inner fabric layer 15 a firstis stitched or sewn to the outer fabric layer 15 b, and then both pocketset 12 and outer pocket 11 a simultaneously are stitched or sewn to theshirt 10. The inside pocket set 12 fabric 15 a, 15 b may be the same asthe shirt 10 itself, or a non-descript fabric or other material unableto be seen through the front of the shirt.

It should be emphasized that the above-described embodiments of thepresent invention are merely possible examples of implementations andare merely set forth for a clear understanding of the principles of theinvention. Many variations and modifications may be made to theabove-described embodiment(s) of the invention without departingsubstantially from the spirit and principles of the invention. All suchmodifications and variations are intended to be included herein withinthe scope of the disclosure and the present invention, and are protectedby the following claims.

1. A shirt comprising: at least one pocket set attached inside of theshirt, wherein the pocket set includes at least one inner layer and anouter layer of fabric with the inner layer being located closer to thebody when the shirt is worn, and wherein the inner layer is shorter thanthe outer layer.
 2. The shirt according to claim 1, further comprisingan outer pocket and stitching attaching both the outer pocket and thepocket set to the shirt.
 3. The shirt according to claim 1, wherein theinner layer is attached to the outer layer and the outer layer isattached to the shirt.
 4. The shirt according to claim 1, wherein anupper portion of each of the inner layer and the outer layer has adoubled-over-and-stitched edge.
 5. A method of attaching a pocket set toan inside of a shirt comprising: attaching a first fabric layer to asecond fabric layer to form an inside pocket set; and then attaching thepocket set to the inside of said shirt.
 6. The method according to claim5, further comprising simultaneously stitching an outer pocket to anoutside of said shirt while attaching said pocket set to said inside ofsaid shirt.
 7. The method according to claim 6, wherein a same stitchingattaches both said outside pocket and said pocket set.
 8. The methodaccording to claim 5, further comprising folding over an upper portionof each of said first fabric layer and said second fabric layer andstitching said folded over portion.
 9. The method according to claim 5,comprising obtaining said first fabric layer so as to be shorter thansaid second fabric layer.
 10. A pocket set for attachment inside ashirt, said pocket set comprising: at least one inner layer and an outerlayer of fabric, wherein the inner layer is shorter than the outerlayer, and an upper portion of each of the inner layer and the outerlayer has a doubled-over-and-stitched edge.